She sang, she danced, she acted, she fought for civil rights, she spied on the Nazis ... is there anything Josephine Baker *didn't* do?
If you're a woman who can vote, work, go to college, and own and control you own property and money, then you have this woman to thank.
Forget what you saw in "Braveheart"--here's the true story of Isabella, a French princess turned usurper.
Though her own life was often at risk, Ida Wells-Barnett, better known to many as Ida B. Wells, fought for the rights of African Americans and American women alike.
Here's a look at the woman who faced the guillotine and created one of London's most popular tourist attractions.
This little old Irish lady was a battle hardened general in the labor wars of the early 1900s, earning her the title, "the most dangerous woman in America."
Meet the woman who improved the lives of millions of women in the United States and around the world.
Ever seen A League of Their Own? Here's a brief history on the baseball-playing ladies who inspired that movie.
A farm girl from Montana who grew up to be the first female member of Congress, Jeannette Rankin stood by her ideals and fought for equal rights and peace while the rest of the world went to war.
This female British archeologist uncovered ancient ruins and fought roving bands of thieves--no, not Lara Croft. Meet the Victorian lady how helped create Iraq.
This sixteen year old spitfire rode more miles in a single night than Paul Revere did to rouse the Patriots to defend New York from the Redcoats.
You know that thing you're sitting at right now, reading this? You can thank Grace Hopper for that--this WW2 veteran created the first computer language and the first commercial computer.
A symbol of female empowerment and societal change, Indira Gandhi had to overcome a culture of misogyny to improve her homeland of India.
This Georgian lioness showed the world that a queen could rule as affectively as a king.
What started off as a necessary skill to feed her family launched a farm girl from Ohio into international stardom.
Remembered most for bringing her attacker to justice, Artemisia Gentileschi should be celebrated for the stunning works of art she created.
The story of one of the greatest Egyptian pharaohs that ever ruled.
Here's another incredible cross-dresser for you! Women's history is filled with its own scallywags, and Catalina de Erauso is one of the most scallywaggiest!
No, you didn't misread the title; today's blog is about a woman who lived her life pretending to be a man and became a phenomenal military surgeon while doing it.
The Pocahontas of Tennessee, this warrior woman spared the lives of white settlers and changed Cherokee culture forever.
When the Greek War of Independence exploded, Laskarina Bouboulina was the powerhouse that led to many naval victories.
Mulan wasn't the only female warrior in China! Meet a family of rebels, soldiers and generals--and a kitchen maid who kicked butt.
She may appear prim and proper, but the woman who ruled 250 million people was a study in contrasts.
How one of the greatest military minds took on an emperor and humiliate him in front of his entire empire. Last entry for Women's History Month 2015!
Hollywood's original superstar, queen of the double-entendres!
She became the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation, and didn't let a few death threats bother her.
She did a lot more than just fund Columbus's trip to the New World, dontchya know.
To this day, no one has set as many sports records as she did--woman or man.
As a child she was frightened of everything, but as an adult nothing stood in her way.
This amputee outsmarted, outmaneuvered and outspied the bewildered Nazis
From unwanted child to one of the greatest rulers in history
Her love for her father made her into a legendary warrior.
Wife of two kings, a crusader, reformer and rebel, Eleanor was not a queen to be taken lightly.
The story of one woman who threw aside her petticoats and picked up a musket to fight for American freedom.
The true story of a Native American princess.
How hair loss and a dream turned a poor washerwoman into a self-made millionaire.
Meet the Scottish lady who thoroughly humiliated an English military genius.
How a immigrant girl became a renowned world leader.
And finally to end the Women's History Month 2014 series, I present to you Queen Boudicca of the Iceni, who was ready to kill every Roman to avenge her daughters and her people.
Blackbeard, Kidd, Black Bart and their ilk can go fly a kite--the greatest pirate that ever lived was a woman!
The female fighter pilots and bombers of WW2 Russia terrified the Nazis.
The mother of St. Louis was a bit of a hellraiser herself.
Meet the world's first female doctor--without her we'd be surrounded by old guys in lab coats asking us weird questions.
History's greatest love story, starring one of history's greatest rulers
Freedom for women, equality for all.
The last great ruler of China--who hid behind a screen.
Nzingha, the cross-dressing warrior queen who fought to drive the slave traders out of her country.
The story of the creator of the United States all-female WW2 service pilots--that I'll bet you never knew about.
The queen that fought Rome--and still got an awesome villa out of the deal.
One woman defied the vicious dictatorship of Myanmar--and won without spilling a drop of blood.
Meet the woman who saved millions and changed the way America looked at reproductive rights forever.
Vietnam wouldn't exist without these two courageous sisters.
The story of one of the greatest pirates and military commanders of all time--one of Ireland's greatest heroes.
How an English countess became one of Ireland's fiercest defenders.
How a sixteen year old girl helped write American history.
The samurai weren't a boys-only club.
Called "the Napoleon of the movement," Susan B. Anthony's relentless dedication won women the right to vote.
Trust me--you don't know the real Catherine the Great until you read this (and it's more than that stupid horse myth!)
A look into the life and career of Madame Marie Curie, inventor and scientist.
Slave, guide, abolitionist, suffragist, freedom fighter--there's more to Harriet Tubman than you know.
The story of an Indian queen who defied a nation of invaders.
Another Viking legend so good it could be a Disney movie
A brief look at a master female ninja and what the kunoichi really were
The story of how a young shepherdess changed the world.
Alfred the Great's daughter was even greater than he was.
Meet the woman who designed the first computer algorithm ... in 1834.
How a supposedly "barbaric" queen destroyed a god-king
The story of Lagertha, warrior-wife of legendary Viking Ragnar Lothbrok.
The true story of the foreign queen that terrified the Ancient Greeks
New Series!! WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH Yes, I know it’s been over a year since I last updated with anything. I have a good excuse for that: I was completely out of ideas for blogs. Completely. Didn’t have a one. Zip. What changed the dry...
It's been a long journey, but at last we've reached the end of the Mary Sue blog series. Here we'll recap all that we've discussed and learn how to make a good original character in your fiction.
Sometimes having a Mary Sue-esque character in *original* fiction is a seriously bad thing ... except when it isn't. Confusing? You bet. I'll try to explain.
One of the worst parts of writing any kind of fiction is the criticism, especially when they accuse your character of being a Mary Sue. Learn how to deal/ignore it without losing your mind.
One way to I.D. a Mary-Sue? The overly dramatic death! Find out how mythology and media has affected the way we write death scenes, and why it's not so bad ... except when it is.
A common accusation regarding Mary Sues is that they're just a stand-in for the authors themselves. Hey, guess what? That's not a bad thing--and a lot of famous authors are guilty of the same thing.
Ever encountered a fanfic where the main character is more perfect than perfect? That's what I call "Canon Sue," something that should be avoided more than Mary Sue.
So we know the differences and *why* we write it, do we know how to write a romantic fic well? I'm going to try to help you out with that!
Okay, so we know what romance writing is, and we know that there is A LOT of it in fanfic ... but why do people write so much romance and "other stuff" anyway?
Ever notice the bevy of romanced-themed fanfics with Mary Sue type characters? Ever wonder why we write them? Read to find out!
Mary Sue and Gary Stu are not new phenomenons in literature. In fact, they're as old as mythology itself. Find out where the tradition of perfect characters came from.
Mary Sues and Gary Stus are not inventions by fanfic characters--they already exist in our favorite forms of entertainment. Don't believe me? Read on.
Did you know there's such thing as a Mary-Sue villain? Yup, a villain that's incredibly evil and impossible to stop and has zero depth or motivation. If you have an MS villain, time to fix it!!
When is a flawed character too flawed? When you try to make them perfect--or go drastically in the other direction. You'll see ...
Mary Sues and Gary Stus are pretty messed up characters sometimes, and they don't need to be! Learn why "messed up" doesn't equal great character.
Mary Sues are not beyond saving--sometimes they don't really need to be. Plus, why you should never ever take a Mary Sue Litmus test. You'll thank me.
So who are these wretched beings known as "Mary Sue" and "Gary Stu" and why are they so hated? And *should* they be? Yes--and a resounding NO. Find out why!
It's come to my attention that there are a lot of Mary Sues out there--and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Worried that your character might be a Mary Sue? Don't be! Read to find out why!
Haha! Three months later, I'm back at work editing and rewriting my first novel! I'm calling it "N-Day" because the title of my book begins with "N" and I'm paranoid about people stealing my stuff. I decided to take Stephen King's et every...
Here are some tips for those of you interested in Nanowrimo!
Hello, and welcome to this potential hellhole I'll lovingly call "my blog." To be honest, I don't really know what I'm doing right now. Actually ... I never actually "blogged," and if I did I must have been entirely underwhelmed by the experience. ...